The New National Forests Plan

This month, the Biden Administration announced its new plan to protect old-growth tree groves in national forests. The nationwide amendment to U.S. Forest Service management plans responds to the increasing threat to forest biodiversity posed by wildfires, insect pests, and disease resulting from climate change. As climate change intensifies, experts expect these threats to increase.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the amendment, calling it an “ecologically-driven” approach instead of one dominated by timber industry preferences. In his remarks, he says this amendment creates a commitment “to restore and protect the existing old growth.” Moreover, he says this is a commitment to resiliency.

Responding, Andrew Wetzler, the senior vice president for nature at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) applauds the plan. “This is a key step in making mature and old-growth trees and forests into a centerpiece of our national efforts to combat the climate crisis and preserve our national natural heritage. The Forest Service has an unparalleled opportunity to continue building towards the Administration’s vision of fully safeguarding these essential trees and forests. The agency must do all it can to make the most of it.” 

Demonstrates The Importance of Elections

In contrast, the Trump Administration sought to increase logging in national forests, including old-growth trees, an approach sought by the timber-cutting industry. Critics successfully challenged the Trump policies as both environmentally destructive and based on faulty scientific analysis. 

While this is a big win for conservation, its ultimate result depends on the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. This is because the process of updating management plans takes time. The old-growth-protective amendment for all 128 national forests and grasslands could be completed by early 2025. However, it’s considered unlikely to survive if Biden were to lose his re-election bid to former president Donald Trump or another challenger who reverted to Trump’s industry-dominated environmental policies.

This is another reminder of how much elections matter to our environment. Help us prepare for the upcoming elections by becoming a donor today.